Cold Hands, Warm Heart
by Darknight254
Summary: Crash and Nina finally meet as people not enemies but what will happen next.
1. Something Surprising

**Cold Hands, Warm Heart**

**Disclaimer: I do not in any way own any of the names of characters/places/objects/etc. in this belong to their respected owners.**

**Summary- Crash and Nina finally meet as people not enemies but what will happen next.**

_'Thoughts'_

"Conversation"

**Chapter 1**

Nina didn't understand why she was even doing this. It was early on a Sunday morning and instead of sleeping in like _normal _people, she was standing on a beach wondering what the hell she was doing here. Then again her heart knew why and had been telling her so ever since she met certain orange bandicoot all those years ago.

It had been a couple of years since she had last seen him. At this time her mind was swirling with thoughts about him _'Coming here was ridiculous! I have no way of knowing where he is or what I'm supposed to say if I find him.' _She also began to reflect on why she ran away from Madame Amberly's Private Academy, where she was clearly the top student, and from her father. She realized she would never go back as she looked down at her metallic hands. This was the price she paid for showing a kind heart to her father. She sighed still looking at her hands. It was yet another thing she had lost and she thought on what Dante, her one and only friend, had told her. "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost." She laughed humorlessly. "I have yet to gain anything for what I've given." She didn't know that that would soon change.

The moon was slowly rising over the sea near an island, bathing the watery landscape in a soft, gentle light. As the moon shimmered in the sea, Crash began his short run across the beach. It was most beautiful view he had ever seen in his opinion...well the second most beautiful, the first in his opinion being Nina. He didn't know when he fell in love with her but he just knew that she was all he wanted. He would tell her so whenever he saw her again. He wasn't a mute as everyone suspected. No one knew, not even his own sister, Coco, which was most unusual because she knew everything. The bandicoot smiled at the thought of his secret and continued to run. As he continued he noticed someone standing there as if they were waiting for someone. To his astonishment, it was Nina!

Nina had waited all day hoping that she might meet Crash somehow. She was now very tired and started to doze off when she heard someone or something coming towards her. She quickly decided that she didn't want to wait for this mystery thing or person to hurt her. '_Looks like I'm going to have to bring them to me' _Nina thought as she pulled her right arm back then she shot her fist forward. The springs in her wrist were automatically activated and made her fist go all the way to this person. The moment she grabbed it she immediately retracted her arm and bought the person towards her and was immediately shocked at who it was. It was Crash!

"Hey Nina" Crash said in a quiet tone, a smile slowly appearing on his face. Hearing Crash's voice for the first time shocked Nina, but seeing Crash smirk caused her to smirk a little too. _'She's so beautiful,'_ Crash thought. _'I can only imagine how much more beautiful she could be with a full blown smile on her face, but she needs to put me down first.'_ "Uhh...could you put me down?"

Nina quickly placed Crash back on the ground and petted down the fur she just grabbed onto, not noticing that Crash had begun softly purring. Once the girl noticed she abruptly stopped and looked away blushing madly. She quickly forgot her embarrassment as she realized that Crash had just spoken to her. "You can talk?" Nina practically shouted forcing Crash to cover his ears.

Crash looked over at Nina sighing before he replied in a happy tone "Yeah, I can and guess what?" Nina simply shook her head not knowing how to reply "Well...you are the first person I have spoken to." Crash said sitting down on the beach. Nina also sat down and said in a quiet tone "Doesn't your sister know?" Crash shook his head in response.

Crash sat contentedly with the girl of his dreams not too far from him. He was happy to see her but his mind began to wonder. '_What is she doing here and what will her father do to her if he finds out she decided to come here?_' He was roused out of his thoughts as he felt Nina lean against his shoulder. She had fallen asleep. Picking her up, Crash decided to take her to his home. It was the safest place he knew of, but a thought crossed his mind. _'How am I going to explain this to Crunch and Coco?'_ He quickly shrugged his doubt away as he made his way home.

_'Oh well. Only one way to find out.'_

**Hoped you like this chapter so read and review to give me ideas and your thoughts**

**See you next time**

**Darknight254**


	2. Trust Must Be Earned

**Cold Hands, Warm Heart**

**First of all I want to thank my beta reader ItachiUchiha17 who is one in a million and second I hope you guys enjoy this chapter**

**Summary- Crash and Nina finally meet as people not enemies but what will happen next.**

_**'Thoughts'**_

"Conversation"

_Dream/Nightmare_

**Chapter 2**

As Crash walked across the beach with the gentle sound of the sea, he began to think._**'Why is she here and what if her father finds out?'**_That's what scared him most: the idea of her father finding out she did this…The bandicoot's mind began to fill with even more dread as he imagined what Cortex would do to him let alone Nina. Desperately, Crash shook the thoughts away. When his mind was finally clear, he noticed Nina was moaning and fidgeting in his arms. Thinking that she might be having a nightmare, Crash stopped and tried to wake his love. "Nina?" he said softly. The girl continued to fidget and moan. Crash kept trying to wake her. The bandicoot hoped with all his being that the girl would wake up soon. It worried him that he didn't know what Nina was so afraid of but he did know that whatever it was, he would protect her from it.

_Nina's Nightmare_

_There she was stood hugging the man, well bandicoot, of her dreams. She was enjoying the feel of his soft, warm fur and his loving embrace on a beautiful beach when her father had found them. With a snarl, her father ripped Crash away from her. He did this to hurt her. He also did it to scare away the things she held dear so much that they would decide they never wanted to see her again. This was what he had always done with everything she loved. Her pets, most of her friends, and now the one thing she loved the most._"Nina..."_She heard a voice call out to her as she mourned the loss of one more thing she loved._"Nina..."_Suddenly, her world turned black as she slowly began to wake._

Nina had woken up from her nightmare with a start, tears rolling smoothly down her cheeks. Crash gently cupped her left cheek with his hand and moved her face so he could look her straight in the eye. He wiped her face clean of her tears before pulling her into a tight hug. Nina immediately responded by wrapping her arms around his furry back and burying her face in his fuzzy chest. Nina could tell that Crash was trying to comfort her as heard Crash keep saying "Shh…it's alright." She couldn't say what it meant to her that the bandicoot was being so attentive, but she didn't really care at the moment. She was enjoying the comfort of Crash too much to care.

"You alright now?" Crash asked as he attempted to let go of her, but she refused to release him. He was going to say something until he noticed she was still crying while she had a full blown smile on her face. "What's wrong Nina?" Crash asked as they stood there "Nothing...nothing's wrong. I'm just happy for once" Nina said still smiling as she and Crash once again approached his house. Soon the two were within a few yards of the bandicoot residence and could see Crash's sister, Coco, standing in the doorway in some pink pajamas tapping her right foot in annoyance. As soon as she saw Nina, her jaw dropped open and she pointed at the couple with a finger saying "What are you doing here?" "Look, Coco, why don't we get inside and I'll explain everything, okay?" Nina said trying to calm the unwilling female bandicoot. Coco replied "There is not a snowball's chance in hell I am letting you into my house!" "For god's sake, Coco! Let her in!" Crash shouted clearly angry at his sister and this shocked Coco as she had not known her brother could speak. Crash used his sister's shock to his advantage, grabbed Nina's hand, and led her into their home.

Coco's shock didn't last long as she spun around and grabbed Nina's other hand. "Oh no, you don't! You're going to explain first then I'll decide whether or not to let you into my home," Coco said. Nina sighed. She knew this would come up. "I ran away from my twisted father for good. I don't expect you to trust me right away, but you have to know that I truly just want to live a life that I can call my own" The girl explained to the female bandicoot with sadness etched in her voice. Coco searched Nina's eyes for any hint of a lie but could only find a mixture of hurt and honest. Slowly letting the girl go, the female bandicoot sighed. "Alright, you can stay on one condition" Coco said lifting her index finger to Nina. "If you do one evil thing or anything like that, you'll have to answer to me. Got it?" Coco commanded and Nina nodded in agreement. As Coco walked away from Crash and Nina, she heard her brother exclaim "Yes!" Shaking her head, Coco now faced a new problem. She had to convince Crunch that Nina's presence wasn't a threat to them._'Oh boy, this is going to be hard'_the girl thought going to her laptop. "I think I'll wait for him to finish his breakfast and his morning training before I tell him.'

With the confrontation with his sister over, Crash let go of Nina's hand. "Make yourself comfortable," the bandicoot said smiling at the girl and heading toward the kitchen for some breakfast. Crunch, who was woken by the shouting, followed suite, not seeing Nina standing in the living room. For a while the girl was content standing and observing the living room, but she soon decided to snoop around the house. She sneaked past the guys and crept down the hallway. With Coco outside on her laptop Nina's chances of getting caught had decreased significantly. The first room she took a peak in was Crunch's room. As she looked inside, the girl noticed weight sets and piles of weightlifting magazines stacked up against the black walls that almost reached a small window. The girl's eyes then took in the Axe brand products that were set on top of a big brown dresser next to his bed with camouflage bed sheets and some scattered night time clothes over it. Deciding that she'd seen enough, Nina was about to leave the room until she saw a TV with an Xbox 360 hooked up to it and a bunch of games for it. She thought about going in and playing some of those games, but thought better of it. She decided to go check out Crash's room instead.

Crash's room was surprisingly neat. His blue bed was neat just like his bookshelf and his closet. His wide dresser was next to his night stand, which was under his window. The one thing she saw that was different from Crunch's room and the living room was he had a lot of photos of his pets and of his family. It seemed so strange that he would have such things_**'How would he have gotten these?"**_she thought as she picked one up. Nina mentally noted as she sat on Crash's bed, she would have to ask him about them whenever she got the chance. Satisfied with Crash's room, Nina went back to the hallway and moved to the final room.

As she opened the door to Coco's room, Nina found it was nothing like what she had expected. The pink bed took up most of the small room while the nightstand and book shelf were squished beside it. Her closet was next to her small dresser that stood opposite of her window, which had showed just enough of the fading moonlight to softly illuminate the white walls and making Nina's eyes glow.

Meanwhile in the kitchen "Hey Crunch, could you go get Coco for me?" Crash said putting a jug of orange juice on the table. "Sure thing," Crunch said heading towards Coco's room. As he reached the room, he noticed the door was ajar. Slowly, he walked over and gently pushed it open. The bandicoot was shocked at what he found. It was Nina Cortex. "What the hell are you doing here?" Crunch yelled frightening the girl and causing her to yelp in surprise. With a nervous chuckle, Nina finally answered the looming bandicoot "Well..."

**Hoped you like this chapter. So review to give me ideas and your thoughts. Can you figure out what is going to happen next?**

**See you next time**

**Darknight254**


	3. Feelings Revealed

**Cold Hands, Warm Heart**

**Summary- Crash and Nina finally meet as people not enemies but what will happen next.**

_**'Thoughts'**_

"Conversation"

**Chapter 3**

"Well...um...,"Nina stuttered as she looked at the floor trying to find the words to explain what she was doing. "Answer me now!" Crunch yelled causing the girl to clam up again. When Coco and Crash had heard the commotion they came rushing to Crunch. No one moved or said a word as four people stood in Coco's room. The silence continued until Coco asked "What's going on here?" "I'm wondering why this evil freak is in our home?" Crunch answered pointing at Nina. "Hey, don't call her that, you're no better!" Crash spat. The mutated bandicoot was about to respond when he realized that Crash had spoken. Crunch looked at Coco gobsmacked as Crash grabbed Nina and suggested that he make the girl breakfast. "It's just one more thing that I'm going to have to explain," Coco finally said with a sigh. "But can you at least let me have breakfast?" Crunch nodded and followed the female bandicoot to the kitchen.

Nina sat at the kitchen table watching as Crash made pancakes for her._**'I hope that he can cook better than I can. I can't cook to save my life,'**_she thought with a smirk. She was taken out of thoughts by Coco and Crunch sitting beside her and discussing her arrival. It wasn't long before her attention shifted back to the bandicoot cooking. She noticed that he had filled out since their first meeting. He wasn't scrawny, but he wasn't fat either. He was lean and toned. Nina licked her lips as less than pure thoughts began to fill her mind. The girl was pulled out of thoughts as Crash announced that the food was ready and set a plate of pancakes in front of her and Coco. Nina smiled at Crash in thanks and watched as Coco sprinkled her food with sugar. "Are you going to put something on your pancakes?" Crash asked sitting beside Nina. "You're probably going to think I'm weird, but..." the girl began." Too late for that!" Crunch interrupted. Coco gave the mutated bandicoot a dirty look and was given a kick in the shin by Crash. Nina brushed the comment aside and continued. "Do you have wumpa fruit?" "I like wumpa fruit on my pancakes too so I don't think you're weird," Crash said lovingly and bringing a jar of the fruit to the table. Quickly topping her pancakes, Nina began to eat and breakfast passed as Coco explained things to Crunch and Nina and Crash made small talk.

After breakfast was done, the kitchen was cleaned and Nina and Crash went for a walk on the beach. The two shared a comfortable silence for a while before Nina spoke. "So when I went into your room I saw the pictures you had. Could you tell me about them?" Nodding Crash said "All those pictures are from when my parents were still alive. It's my way of remembering them." "I lost my mom some time ago too," Nina said softly. "Before she died my dad was actually a decent person." Crash took a hold of Nina's hands and turned to face her. "You know if you're dad isn't going to be there for you, I always will be," the bandicoot said giving the girl's metallic hand a gentle squeeze. "I...I love you, Nina." Nina couldn't believe her ears. She hadn't heard anyone tell her they loved her since her mother had died. Tears of happiness welled up in her eyes. "I love you too, Crash!" Nina said hugging the bandicoot. The two just held each other for a few minutes enjoying being near the other. Eventually they pried themselves away from the other and made their back to Crash's house.

When they finally reached the house, Nina and Crash both yawned. Neither of them had been getting a lot of sleep. "You alright Crash?" Coco asked clearly concerned for her brother. "Yeah, I just haven't been sleeping lately" Crash replied before yawning again "How about you two get some sleep? Crunch and I still have some talking to do." Coco said. Crash and Nina nodded at the suggestion and Crash began to lead Nina to his room. "So I'm supposed to sleep in your room? Nina asked. "Well, my bed has more than enough room for both of us and I don't think that Crunch or Coco would want to share their beds. That leaves the couch and I wouldn't let you sleep there. If you want the bed to yourself, I'll sleep on the couch. That way you're comfortable," Crash replied. "I'll sleep in your bed," Nina said stifling another yawn. "Okay then. I give you my word I won't try anything funny," Crash said. "Alright," Nina said as Crash pushed opened the door to his room.

As they arrived. Crash took the left side of the bed and Nina took the right. Crash pulled the blanket up to cover them and was fast asleep. Nina wasn't so lucky. She decided to try and talk to the bandicoot but stopped when she heard light snoring. She laid there for a while and was about close her eyes when she felt a furry hand on her stomach. Looking at the sleeping bandicoot, Nina decided to nestle her back against his warm chest fur. Crash unconsciously moved his hands until they came around Nina's torso, snuggling closer to the girl._**He's so warm and soft. I think I could lay here in his arms forever,"**_Nina thought, smiling the biggest smile possible and entwining her hands with Crash's.

This made her the happiest she had been in a long time so she closed her eyes and slipped into her dreams where a handsome, loving orange bandicoot was waiting for her, unaware of what waited for her in the next few days.

**Hoped you like this chapter so read and review to give me ideas and your thoughts**

**See you next time**

**Darknight254**


	4. Dreams and Nightmares

**Alright, I didn't change a lot. The last sentence that was added I deleted because how does Cortex know where Nina is? If you put in how Cortex figures out that she's at the island then you can have him tell N. Gin to set the coordinates for the island. If you don't, it just seems like there's a plot hole. **

**Summary- Crash and Nina finally meet as people not enemies but what will happen next.**

_**'Thoughts'**_

"Conversation"

**Chapter 4**

Night began to set in and the bright moon rose over the calm sea near the island. Its gentle light peered into an open window rousing Nina from her pleasant slumber. "Umm...what time is it?" the girl asked quietly. "It's nighttime" a voice replied. She looked up with blurred vision to the source of the voice. Rubbing her eyes and looking again, Nina saw the one she loved, Crash. The bandicoot looked down at her with a smile "How long have you been awake?" Nina asked. "Long enough to see a beautiful site," Crash answered in a quiet and caring tone. As Nina heard this she slowly shifted up to kiss Crash squarely on the lips.

Meanwhile, Coco was in the living room watching Crunch do pushups and still trying to convince him that Nina wouldn't do anything evil while she stayed with them. "Crunch, why can't you let the past go?" Coco asked "You don't know what it's like to be experimented on by Cortex. It messes with your mind in a terrible way and you have to fight every day to not turn into the hateful person he created you to be." Crunch retorted, looking over at the blonde bandicoot sitting on her laptop "I may not be able to understand your viewpoint, but she does. In fact, it's even worse for her since it was**her own father**that punished her for being human. It's for that reason that I feel she should be allowed to live her life as she sees fit. If that means her being with Crash, so be it," Coco said in a solemn tone. "Well, I guess you're right. I have been a little too harsh on her, but I'm not saying I put my complete trust in her" Crunch said, continuing his workout regime "It's enough that you're going to at least try and get along with her," Coco answered.

As Coco and Crunch finished their conversation, Crash and Nina got out of their comfortable embrace and climbed out of the warm bed. The pair stretched and worked out the kinks. As they finished Crash turned to face his love, noticing that the girl was looking down at her metallic hands. Oblivious to Crash's stare, Nina's mind began to fill with her recurring nightmare.

_Nina Nightmare_

_There she was stood hugging the man, well bandicoot, of her dreams. She was enjoying the feel of his soft, warm fur and his loving embrace on a beautiful beach when her father had found them. With a snarl, her father ripped Crash away from her. He did this to hurt her. He also did it to scare away the things she held dear so much that they would decide they never wanted to see her again. This was what he had always done with everything she loved. Her pets, most of her friends, and now the one thing she loved the most._

Nina kept having this horrible vision play over and over again in her mind. The girl didn't know why, but she knew it terrified her. "Nina, you okay?" Crash asked very concerned. As Nina faced him she replied "I'm fine, Crash, but can I ask you something?" The bandicoot nodded "What do you truly think of me?" Nina asked hoping for a good answer "I think you're the most beautiful girl in the world. I think you are the most amazing and wonderful person I will ever have the pleasure of being with and I love you, metal hands and all." Crash spoke softly taking hold of her metallic hands before pulling her into his tight embrace. This made Nina swell even more with happiness and reveal a rare full blown smile. As she and Crash once again held each other, Nina tried to think of a time where she had been filled with so much joy and love. She soon realized it was when she had seen her mother for the last time. The girl held her love a little tighter at the memory and not wanting to let go of this moment.

Nina and Crash separated from their embrace one again and Crash said "I'm going to take a shower okay?" Nina simply nodded in reply. This left Nina some time to think and wonder where and how far she and Crash's relationship would go. She hoped that it would play like a dream she had once.

_Nina's Dream_

_"Welcome friends," the minister spoke as he looked at the two people standing before him and smiled. "Today, we are gathered here to join Crash and Nina in holy matrimony." Crash turned his head to face his bride, smiling as he placed his hand in hers. She turned to face him, a subtle tear dripping from the corner of her eye. "Do you Crash take Nina to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?"_

_"I do," said Crash without hesitation._

_"And do you Nina take Crash to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?"_

_"I...I do," said Nina as Crash gently squeezed her hand to comfort her._

_"Then I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride" the minister announced._

_"No need to tell me twice!" Crash said as he kissed Nina square on the lips_

The girl sighed merrily as her mind began to fill with other ideas of her and Crash's potential life together and waited for her love to finish showering.

Cortex sat in his lab trying to figure out yet another plan to take over the world and destroy his nemesis, Crash Bandicoot. He growled as he thought how the bandicoot had ruined his previous plans. Suddenly, the mad man was pulled out his thoughts when his right hand man, Dr. N. Gin brought him a message._**"Who could possibly be sending me mail?"**_the scientist thought as he opened it. Quickly reading the contents of the letter, Cortex quickly discovered that it was from his alma mater, Madame Amberly's Academy of Evil, informing that Nina had run away.

Crushing the letter in his head, Cortex called to N. Gin. "Ready a ship as soon as you can. We must find my daughter and teach her a lesson." "Yes, Dr. Cortex," the lackey answered.

_**Hoped you like this chapter so read and review to give me ideas and your thoughts**_

_**See you next time**_

_**Darknight254**_


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